The Giants are making the rounds in Japan again, and Hiromi Itoh is on their radar.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that San Francisco is among the big league clubs that have scouted the right-hander, who is expected to be posted for MLB teams this offseason. The timing matters, though. An impending lockout is expected to disrupt the 45-day posting window unless there’s a deal in place between the expected early-November posting and the December 1 transactions freeze.
Itoh isn’t the only Japanese arm drawing attention. At least 15 MLB teams were believed to be scouting Taira, and both pitchers are pulling plenty of interest.
From the Giants’ perspective, either one would fit the bill on a roster that needs rotation help. Taira, despite not having much of a track record as a starter, could also be a candidate to move into San Francisco’s shaky bullpen if starting doesn’t work out.
The Giants have spent more time in the NPB scouting lane, but Slusser notes that “the Giants haven’t fared well in their pursuit of Japanese players in recent years,” with targets such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki landing with the Dodgers instead.
Over in Los Angeles, Alex Vesia and Enrique Hernandez both said they’d be open to coming back to the Dodgers, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Maddie Lee and other reporters. Vesia has been one of the steadiest pieces in the L.A. bullpen across his six seasons with the club, and his 2.64 ERA and 31.2% strikeout rate over 58 innings in 2026 line up closely with his numbers from 2021-26. That kind of profile figures to put him in position for a strong multiyear deal on the open market.
Hernandez’s situation is a little different. For the fourth straight offseason, he could be the kind of player who ends up back with the Dodgers on a one-year contract.
He’s been a valuable part of the bench and the clubhouse, and his regular-season production has usually been modest. The postseason reputation remains, even if this October wasn’t his loudest showing; Hernandez had just one hit in 15 playoff plate appearances.
Back in San Francisco, Randy Rodriguez is getting another chance to pitch before the year is done. MLB.com’s Maria Guardado writes that Rodriguez requested an Arizona Fall League assignment so he could get game action after Tommy John surgery in late September 2025 cut off any chance for a minor league rehab stint. That rehab timeline puts him on track to be part of the Giants’ Opening Day picture, assuming a normal and healthy spring.
Rodriguez was one of the breakout relievers of 2025, making the All-Star team and taking over closing duties before the UCL injury ended his season. Even so, the Giants are expected to look for bullpen help this winter, and Guardado reports that they want at least one more pitcher who can handle the ninth inning rather than leaning entirely on Rodriguez after such a long layoff.
And in Colorado, the Rockies may be adding another voice to the staff. Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes that the club could create “a position to help with advance reports and produce quicker in-game adjustments.” That kind of role already exists in different forms around the league, and it would be another sign of how Paul DePodesta is trying to modernize the Rockies’ operation.
One change has already been reversed: pitching coach Alon Leichman was fired after just one season.
In Other News...
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The choices now come down to fit as much as talent. San Francisco could take a more targeted route with a platoon bat such as Randal Grichuk or Lane Thomas to help against left-handed pitching, or aim higher with everyday options like Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki, which would bring a different level of cost and roster pressure. However the Giants sort it out, the outfield remains one of the clearest places where they can change the look of the lineup, and the front office has to decide how aggressive it wants to be. [Read more 🡒]